The world is good

2021-07-12 12:49:00 MIT scientists recycle plastic bags to develop a new sustainable fabric

Plastic grocery bags are one of the most pernicious types of plastic waste. Now, scientists say they have developed a technique that could recycle plastic bags into the fabrics of the future. MIT researchers have come up with a method that can transform polyethylene into lightweight fabrics that are more environmentally friendly than natural fibers like cotton.

Polyethylene is the material most commonly used to make single-use plastic bags and food packaging. It is a non-wicking material, meaning that it absorbs water and sweat rather than drawing it away. The new breakthrough of the MIT study involved turning the polyethylene into a yarn that can wick away moisture, thus making it more functional as clothing.

“Once someone throws a plastic bag in the ocean, that’s a problem. But those bags could easily be recycled, and if you can make polyethylene into a sneaker or a hoodie, it would make economic sense to pick up these bags and recycle them,” says MIT mechanical engineer Svetlana Boriskina, who was involved in the study.

Alongside its wicking properties, the new polyethylene fabric has a minimal environmental footprint since it can be cleaned at a lower temperature and dyed using colored particles. “We don’t need to go through the traditional process of dyeing textiles by dunking them in solutions of harsh chemicals. We can color polyethylene fibers in a completely dry fashion, and at the end of their life cycle, we could melt down, centrifuge, and recover the particles to use again,” says Boriskina. Open / Comment

2021-07-11 12:17:11 Open / Comment

2021-07-11 12:17:07 This wireless pacemaker dissolves once your body doesn’t need it

A team of researchers from Northwestern University has developed a revolutionary temporary pacemaker that is absorbed by the body once it’s no longer needed. Pacemakers are incredible devices that are implanted in patients’ bodies to help regulate their heartbeat. The first pacemaker was implanted in 1958, and since then millions of people have benefited from them.

Some need permanent pacemakers, but those who require them for only a span of a few weeks or so, like patients who have just undergone open-heart surgery, may face some complications. Temporary pacemakers have external power supplies and control systems that may be accidentally dislodged, posing an infection risk. Plus, the heart tissue is prone to damage during removal.

These potential problems may soon disappear with the introduction of the newly developed battery-free, dissolvable pacemaker. The device, which will cost around $100, is implanted directly on the surface of the heart but can be controlled and programmed from outside the body.

It’s made of materials that are not only compatible with the body but will undergo chemical reactions that allow them to dissolve and be absorbed over time. These include magnesium, tungsten, silicon, and a polymer known as PLGA. The final product is thin, flexible, weighs less than half a gram, and looks like a minuscule tennis racket.

It’s powered by wireless technology in which radio frequency power from an external device is sent to a receiver within the pacemaker. This power is then converted into an electrical current that is used to regulate the heart. According to Professor John A. Rogers, who is part of the team that developed the absorbable pacemaker, similar technology is used in the wireless charging of smartphones and electric toothbrushes.

For now, the device has been tested on the hearts of mice and rabbits, slivers of human hearts, and within live dogs and rats. Based on the results from the trials with dogs, the system demonstrated its ability to generate the power transfer necessary for the device to be used in adult humans. In the rat trials, the device was in operation for four days. Scans at the two-week mark revealed that the device was starting to break down, and at seven weeks it had been completely absorbed by the rat’s body.

The results from the trials are all very promising, but there is still a lot of work to be done before the device is ready for human patients. After more testing and tweaking is done to ensure that it is safe and effective, this device will allow for an easier recovery for patients after cardiac surgery, and could even mean that patients avoid ending up dealing with permanent pacemakers unnecessarily and instead be left with a strong and healthy pacemaker-free heart. Open / Comment

2021-07-10 12:23:40 Open / Comment

2021-07-10 12:23:34 This mobile device provides refuge to unsheltered people in Ecuador

Earlier this year, we wrote about a thoughtful initiative in the German city of Ulm that saw the installation of a series of pods around the town for unsheltered people to be able to sleep in. A similar project is now taking place in Ecuador, where architecture firm Natura Futura Arquitectura created The Ambulantito — a portable device that’s part shelter, part kiosk, designed to help homeless people who transition between cities.

Designed primarily for the Ecuadorian and Latin American context, the project provides an emergency refuge to those without a roof over their head while raising awareness about growing poverty rates. The structure is mounted on four wheels and features foldable elements that enable the user to convert it from a basic shelter into a vendor cart to sell food or other products.

The Ambulantito is devised to serve as a temporary solution, which means it can be shared, donated, moved, and loaned. In addition to providing shelter, the structure can serve as a vehicle to generate income, with unsheltered people also being able to use it as a kiosk in parks, local fairs, and on the street.

Measuring 2.5 × 0.85m, the mobile device has a structure made out of square metal rods and panels of locally sourced timber. It has two eaves, one fixed and the other foldable, which creates a stall-like frontage when opened.

To ensure that people’s belongings are safe, Natura Futura installed folding lattice doors on each side. The lower side supports can be folded up during the day, allowing easy mobility around the city. Unfolded at night, it provides enough space to rest.

“The Ambulantito is a first small step towards raising awareness of urgent needs such as shelter, productivity, and human safety, seeking to be an engine of consciousness that opens up new possibilities and reflections on our role of responsibility regarding the realities of the city,” says Natura Futura. Open / Comment

2021-07-09 08:40:46 Open / Comment

2021-07-09 08:40:42 Scientists use a 3D printer to create a living material made from algae

Today, we’re covering an exciting study from TU Delft, where scientists have used 3D printing and algae to create an innovative, eco-friendly, biodegradable, and living material. The interdisciplinary research involved 3D printing and a novel bioprinting technique to deposit algae into living, photosynthetic materials that are both durable and flexible.

In addition to algae, the new process involved non-living bacterial cellulose, an organic compound that’s produced and excreted by bacteria. By combining living and non-living ingredients, the scientists were able to create a unique material that has the photosynthetic quality of algae and the robustness of the bacterial cellulose.

“The printing of living cells is an attractive technology for the fabrication of engineered living materials,” says Marie-Eve Aubin-Tam, an associate professor involved in the study.

What prompted the team to use bacterial cellulose is the material’s impressive mechanical features, such as flexibility, toughness, strength, and the ability to retain its shape under changing conditions. The new technique resembles the process of printing, with the bacterial cellulose acting as the paper and the living microalgae as the ink.

The plant-like nature of the material means that it can use photosynthesis to ‘feed’ itself for many weeks, and it is also regenerative, meaning that a small sample of the material can grow quickly on site.

The material could eventually be used for a variety of applications, including the production of artificial leaves — materials that mimic actual leaves during photosynthesis, by converting water and CO2 into oxygen and energy. The leaves store energy in chemical form as sugars, which can then be converted into fuels, providing the opportunity to produce sustainable energy where plants don’t grow. Open / Comment

2021-07-07 12:07:21 Open / Comment

2021-07-07 12:07:16 BIOMILQ is the first to replicate healthy and sustainable human milk

Breastfeeding is a beautiful and miraculous event for new mothers to share with their infants—but it isn’t always easy. In fact, many women experience complications when breastfeeding including latching issues, an inadequate supply of milk, pain, and more. It is also an often inaccessible option for parents who adopt have children via a surrogate.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that newborns consume only breastmilk for the first six months and that mothers continue to breastfeed even after this point. This poses a problem for those who struggle with breastfeeding, and although formula alternatives are also healthy for infants, there is some concern about the lack of antibodies in these bovine-based formulas.

Fortunately, the company BIOMILQ has just announced that they have produced the world’s first cell-cultured human milk that was created outside of the breast, meaning that there is now another alternative to infant formula.

According to Dr. Jennifer Smilowitz, a human milk researcher, and BIOMILQ technical advisor, “Human milk is tremendously complex in both composition and structure which has made it impossible to replicate outside of the lactating parent.” Nevertheless, the team at BIOMILQ figured out how to recreate breast milk in a mere 11 months.

Though the BIOMILQ product isn’t exactly the same as breast milk, the firm does guarantee that it has macronutrient profiles that closely match the expected types of proportions of proteins, complex carbohydrates, fatty acids, and other bioactive lipids that are present in breastmilk. The team was able to achieve this by “replicating the intricate relationship between the cells that produce it and the conditions they experience inside the body during lactation.”

In some respects, it’s a good thing that BIOMILQ isn’t identical to breastmilk, because that means that it will be free from the environmental toxins, food allergens, and prescription medications that are sometimes passed from the mother to the child through breastfeeding.

That said, BIOMILQ doesn’t intend to replace breastfeeding, but simply to offer a healthier and more eco-friendly alternative to supplement a mother’s milk. The product must be fully tested before it can be be marketed, but its creators are confident it will be widely available in the near future. Open / Comment

2021-07-06 14:42:37 Open / Comment